Ancients' trail
by Sith Jesto
Summary: AU An accident result for Jack's childhood memory to surface of an Ancient device on Earth.
1. Chapter 1

_Thanks for my BETAs _**Lydia2, Babsca**_ for correcting this story and helping me out._

_It's an AU story, shortly after the episode of the 'Shades of Grey'_

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**Ancients' trail**

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Chapter 1

The winter sun shone on the frozen Minnesota land. Snow and ice covered everything. On the side of a frozen lake stood a lone figure, a boy who couldn't be more than seven. His mouth and nose were covered with a long scarf, only his deep chocolate brown eyes were visible and some brown curls hung out from under his hat. He wore warm winter clothes and shoes.

Jack O'Neill looked around the frozen land once again and stepped carefully onto the frozen lake. He listened for the sound of a crack that would tell him if the ice wasn't strong enough to support his weight, but he heard nothing.

He slowly put his whole weight on that foot, and started to move toward the center of the lake with his fishing pole in his right hand. He had always gone fishing with his grandfather, but since the old man died it was the first time he had gone. Jack was alone; his parents were too busy to come with him or have time to care about him.

When his life got too much for him, he would run away to the woods, sometimes just for a walk, sometimes for fishing. He liked to be alone in the forest, it helped him to think and sort out his life. It made things feel simpler than they were.

He was halfway to the middle of the lake when a small cracking noise caught his ears. He stopped instantly. He knew that sound didn't bode well at all. He lay down with one fluid movement. It was a very old trick that his grandfather had shown him. This way his weight would dissipate more and perhaps, just perhaps the ice would remain in one piece while he started to scramble very slowly backwards. He looked down at the ice to find small cracks that were visible around his arms. This was bad, a very bad sign.

The sound of the cracking ice became louder with every movement. He was almost to the shore when the lake's surface suddenly gave way and collapsed under him. His eyes widened, but before he could panic, he fell in the water and his head sank under the surface.

The ice cold water soaked through his clothes, making them feel as though they weighed a ton. The added weight pulled him deeper, and though he tried to surface again and again, he was unable to keep his head out of the water. When he emerged he got a gulp of air. Then he sank down again under the surface.

For a moment he sank deeper, and he watched helplessly as the water around him grew darker. His breath ran out as he tried to swim up, then his shoe fell off making him weigh less.

He kicked the shoe off of his other foot and pulled off his heavy jacket. The sudden loss of weight made it easier to swim up to the surface. As he tried to pull himself out of the lake, the cold winter air felt like knives cutting into his skin. His whole body trembled from the cold and fatigue. His fingers felt numb. As he climbed onto the bank, his breathing was erratic.

He needed to move knowing that if he didn't find shelter soon, he would die. He gathered all his strength and climbed to his feet. His legs shook so much, they almost gave way under him. His arms wound around him to try to keep himself as warm as he could.

He walked toward the hillside where he knew there were some caves big enough for him to fit. He moved as fast as he could, but the snow on the ground and his shaking legs slowed him down. The sun disappeared below the horizon, and the temperature dropped.

His eyes closed on their own accord, though he tried to keep them open. But his fatigue won over his determination, his feet slipped out from under him and he rolled down the hillside. He tried unsuccessfully to slow down and protect himself. With a thud he landed on some rock at the opening of a cave. It cut into his arm and he felt his frozen skin open and his warm blood slide down his skin.

His head throbbed, his muscles ached, his whole body hurt. He gingerly climbed to his feet, making his way toward the cave, then he climbed inside. The moment his feet touched the floor, surprisingly warm air hit his cold skin. Lights flickered above. On one of the cave's walls some alien writing appeared, glowing on the dark smooth surface.

Jack was awed, he had never seen anything like that before. He moved closer to the far side of the wall where the foreign writing appeared on the thin air before him. As he held out his hand toward it, his fingers ghosted over the symbols, and at his touch they moved.

A sleepy smile slid over his face, as he moved his finger down them, the symbol moved with him. He felt drained and sleepy. His mind was foggy. He sank down beside the wall, his eyes closed, and he fell asleep.

The next morning he woke up feeling warm and well rested. His body ached but it was no long numb. He straightened his arms and legs, and climbed to his feet. The cave was warm, the symbols on the wall glittered.

His gaze moved around absorbing the view of the clearly unnatural smooth black walls. He looked where the previous night the symbols had appeared. There was nothing. He bit his lower lip as he moved toward area.

The shimmering symbols were there again. He moved closer and without really thinking about it, he moved the symbols. He didn't know what they meant, but somehow it seemed the right thing to do, like something was talking to him, like the feelings he got sometimes. He played with them, his eyes were trained on them and he was lost in his own little world when he heard someone calling him.

He blinked. Someone was calling him. Someone familiar.

"Jack!" it was his father.

_'Oh man I'm doomed. Father will be so angry.'_ He groaned. Turning around, he left the cave not noticing as he walked away that the warmth and light disappeared.

As he climbed out of the cave, he looked back one more time. '_I will come back!'_ He swore to himself. Then his father's urgent call broke him out his trance.

He would be back tomorrow, he thought. But as turned out, he didn't find the cave again for a very long time.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thanks for my BETA _**Babsca**_ for correcting this story and helping me out._

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**Ancients' trail**

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Chapter 2

Colonel Jack O'Neill drove his car toward his safe haven, the only place where he could be anyone without the world's weight on his shoulders or his past haunting him. It was the reason this escape as well. Only one month ago he did something he swore to anything holy for him to he never do again. And in spite of everything he'd done it again, he told himself only because it was necessary, it could have endangers Earth's safety. But he knew it killing him.

He'd hoped his team would understand in the end, but only Teal'c had come around. It hurt him more than anything; they were his only family remaining, they were the ones who kept him alive when his darkest moments came.

If he was honest with himself, he knew Daniel too well to be surprised by his reaction. The bond was… had been strong, Daniel was more like his younger brother than friend. He looked after him, he paid attention to his eating and sleeping habit. But Jack wasn't prepared for the cool attitude that took over as soon as he came back. At first he'd hoped it was just his payment after his secret mission. He endured it and tried to made up for their hurt feelings, but as the days turned to weeks, nothing changed.

Daniel wasn't the only one turning a cold shoulder towards him. There was also Sam, the beautiful, brilliant Major Carter. She was another story with her military upbringing and career he'd hoped she would understand that orders were orders and he couldn't just say no. With Sam's help he could have convinced Daniel given time, a lot of time. But Carter didn't come around as Jack had hoped and she was still as angry with him and cold toward him as Daniel was. He understood their reaction, their feelings of frustration and hurt. He hurt as well. So here he was.

Jack parked his car not far from his cabin and started to walk through the clearing, then stopped not far from his car. His dark eyes roamed his surrounding, something was wrong. The wood was too silent. As soon as he heard a gunshot he moved sideways. A sharp pain shot through his side but continued to run knowing if he stopped now he was dead.

As he ran towards the nearby woods, shots flew past him. In the end he found safety behind the trees. His breathing was harsh, his heart beating too fast, and his side was throbbing. He forced his body to calm down. He looked out from his hiding-place. Jack saw he'd left his bag behind, and in it was his side arm. _Not good. Not good at all._ He mused.

A cracking noise sounded behind him, like a branch being stepped on. His right hand slipped toward his army knife, which was secured in his left boot. The sound came again, closer than before, with a fast turn he threw the knife. It hit its target. The man fell to his knees, his face showed his surprise before going blank as he died.

His wound was on fire, Jack looked down to examine his injury. His white T-shirt had already started to soak through with blood, but he couldn't take the time to do anything with it. His potential assassins were out there and waiting for him. He needed to strike first before they found him and finished what they came for.

He moved closer the body and took away the man's gun. Jack pulled his knife from the body and placed it back into his boot. It was not much but it would do. He scouted toward the lake side of the forest where he thought his enemies might be hiding.

He found them not far from where he thought they'd be. One-man seperate in the woods, two left behind one was a guard heavily armed the other was the one who shot him. His gun was trained on the clearing waiting for Jack.

He kneeled down beside a tree for cover, if needed and aimed at his two targets, they were down before they knew he was there. Moving towards their positions he was nearly there when he heard a gun being cocked.

"Drop your gun." Said a deep voice behind him. He lowered his gun and slowly turned around to face the man who could easily rival Teal'c in strength and weight.

"Don't move or I'll shoot." Was the man's next order. Jack could have laughed out load this amateur. The man could easily have shot him. But didn't. Here he was trying to chat with him. A cynical smile appeared on Jack's face.

"Ya think" he said with amusement before he dove toward his target, he managed to shift the larger man off balance and they fell towards the lake. As the icy cold water hit his aching wound he let out a sharp hiss which unintentionally betrayed his weakness to the other man.

A blow to his side was enough for the man to turn their position and press Jack down under the water. With the next punch the air escaped Jack's lungs. He tried to fight back, but his blows were nothing to his attacker and he easily held him down. Jack's fingers inched toward his hidden knife, it had saved his life once that day and he didn't hesitate to use it again. His air was running out, and with a last desperate move he thrust the knife upward at his opponent.

At first he thought he'd missed his target but a second later the body fell heavily on top of him and the last gasp of air was forced from his lungs. Jack's vision darkened. As he looked up, a flashback came to him as he sank toward the very dark bottom of the lake. Then the man's deadweight eased up and he surged upwards for a much-needed breath.

After surfacing, he swam tiredly toward the shore until he made it halfway out of the water. Jack felt himself falling, his air starved lungs were on fire, his side screamed in pain. His vision grayed before turning black as he finally lost consciousness.

As if dreaming, images came to him of that nearly fatal day a long time ago and the long forgotten cave with its shining symbols.


	3. Chapter 3

**Ancients' trail**

Chapter 3

The night wind felt cold on his too feverish skin; he shuddered. His gunshot wound ached dully until he tried to move and the pain in his side came back with full force. He hissed in pain. He looked around, his eyes were glassy and his head hurt from the movement. He forced his abused body into motion and got to his feet. Black spots danced before his eyes and feeling dizzy, he closed his eyes tight. He waited for the urge to throw up to ease. The nausea finally passed and he started his slow trek back towards his cabin.

Each step he took caused pain in his wounded side, and he needed to stop more than once to avoid throwing up. He was barely half way back to the small clearing where his entire problem had started not six hours ago. He was so damn tried he just want to lie down and sleep, but he couldn't just jet. He needed to make a call. If he closed his eyes he could see so perfectly that symbols so alien and yet so familiar; they were Ancients' words.

Making it back to the clearing, Jack headed for his truck. As he bent down to pick up his mobil from his bag, a new wave of dizziness washed over him. _Blood-loss _he thought. It had started to take a toll on him and he needed to tend his wound before it could cause more trouble later. Jack steadied himself against his truck, dialed the SGC and requested General Hammond.

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General Hammond listened his 2IC's report of an assassination attempt and the discovery of a possible Ancient site on Earth.

"If you're safe now, stay where you are , Colonel. I'll be sending in SG1. Their ETA is tomorrow morning."

"Yes sir"

Hammond put down the phone and turned toward Jacob Carter, the Tok'ra had arrived just a few minutes before Jack's call. He saw his old friend questioning gaze.

"What's going on, George?" asked Jacob.

"Jack has discovered a possible Ancients' device near his cabin in Minnesota. I need to call back the rest of SG1, to investigate the site."

"Um If it wouldn't be too big problem Selmak would like to go along to study this device."

"It's a good idea Jacob. Jack mentioned a failed assassin attempt on his life. He didn't mentioned any injury but…"

"But we are talking about Jack. Don't worry we'll look into it George." Said Jacob as he stood. " I'll go and let you call them. And I need to change to something more earthly."

Both Generals chuckled, General Hammond watched as his friend walk out his office. A deep shiver run thought his frame as he thought his conversation with Jack. Something didn't feel right Jack voice was too cold and controlled. He shook his head and with a deep sigh, turned to make some calls.

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Jack closed up his phone. The call had taken a lot out of him. His vision started to fade out again, his side throbbed, and his hands had started to shake shortly after he started his call. It had taken all his self control just to keep his voice steady. He realized he desperately needed to take care of his wound and exchange his wet clothes for something dry and warm.

Jack slowly made his way into his cabin's kitchen where his first aid kit was kept. He carefully pulled off his wet T-shirt. It was one of his favorites, having gotten it from Cassie as a birthday present.

For the first time, he got a good look at his wound. The bullet had grazed his side but it wasn't life treating if he got it taken care of. He pressed his now ruined jersey to the wound to stop the newly started bleeding. With some difficulty Jack managed to clean and dress his injury. It took another twenty minutes to change out of the rest of his wet clothes and climb slowly into bed. Sleep came quickly, bringing with it a frozen Minnesota land with blinding whiteness as far as the eyes could see and freezing icy water, that haunted his dreams all night.

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Jack woke feeling tired, dizzy and disoriented. His senses on full alert since waking up, his gaze swept over his bare room. Something had wakened him but he wasn't sure exactly what. He could hear car's doors closing not far away from his cabin, his looked at his alarm clock which read _0800. _Hopefully, it was his team. But maybe not. All things considered, maybe a new attack would be better them his team's third degree. Or maybe not.

He carefully got out of bed. The pain having dulled to a faint ache in his side it was a good sign, he didn't really want to tell his team about it. He didn't want to see their reaction, because he feared it would not be sympathy but rejection. If so, that would hurt more than his wounds ever could. Deep in his heart, he knew his friends would never do anything like that, but he was afraid to risk it. Not now, maybe not ever. In a strange way they had become his family, his light, the only ones who kept him from falling to his own darkness that threatened to swallow him. They were the ones that kept him from losing the last piece of himself.

Jack shook his head at his own dark thoughts, got dressed quickly, and headed towards the door to welcome his new visitors. He grabbed his leather jacket from his couch as he stepped closer the curtained window to check out the new comers' identity. _'Yep it was his team… and Jacob Carter.'_ He grimaced it would have been difficult to hide his condition from the ever observant Teal'c, but now Jacob was here as well and hiding his wound would be almost impossible. He took a deep breath. _'Here goes nothing. Lets get the show on the road.' _

Jack had only just stepped outside and was about to greet them, when Daniel began to barrage him with questions.

"Where is the device Jack? Where you find it? How do you know it's one of the Ancients'? Are you sure? If it really belongs to the Ancients do you know what it could mean? The Ancients were here in Earth. Who knows how long ago? Maybe, maybe they are still here and monitoring us. It could rewrite our known history. I can't wait to see it when can we get going there?"

"Good Morning to you too, Daniel." Said Jack with as much sarcasm as he could. He caught Jacob's amused smile. "Not far from here. Sure. Yes. No. Don't have a clue. Anytime."

"Huh" Daniel dumbfound-look and confused answer was enough to cause him to grin. "What are you talking about, Jack?"

"Just answered your questions Danny-boy." Jack whole face lit up_, oh he so loved to get one over on Daniel_. A muffled "oh" was the younger man's only replay. "Jacob, Selmac. How ya doing?"

"We are fine, Jack. We were here on some Tok'ra business and decided this device you found sounded interesting."

Jack faked a hurt look as he put his hand mocking on his hart. "I am hurt you didn't come just to see me." His voice sounded almost innocent. Then his whole demeanor changed. " Well then, get your packs and let's move out. It could take a while. If I remember correctly, it should be somewhere near the lake in one of the hillside caves." Jack started to walk away.

"Somewhere? Should?" Daniel sputtered.

"What you mean, sir?" asked Carter with a hint of irratation in her voice. 

Jack threw an annoyed look at them back over his shoulder. "Ah.. ya know it was actually sometime ago that I last saw it."

"What? You knew here was an alien device and never told me, us." Carter eyes flashed angrily and she looked really annoyed. Daniel said almost the same thing as Carter only he mumbled about discovery of the century or some such. _But who listened, he surely did not_. thought Jack with a big grin on his face.

"Oh for crying out loud." Jack threw up his hand to stop his two scientists' verbal attack. He regretted the movement almost instantly, as it caused a new flare of pain in his side. He hoped he hadn't opened it back up. He controlled his breathing with some effort and turned fully back towards his friends. "Look, it's not that I deliberately didn't tell you, I just forget about it until now." He said with a shrug. Jack saw Daniel open his mouth again to object. He held up his hand to stop him. "Ah, Daniel, just shut up for a minute." Daniel's mouth snapped shut almost instantly, and Jack continued "When I first found it I was just a kid, and after that I never found again and with time I just forgot about it."

"And how it is you remember it now?" asked Selmac's deep voice.

"A slight accident triggered the memory." Jack said in explanation, and he saw Selmac's eyes narrow. General Hammond must have told him about the attack. But before anyone could ask more he turned around suddenly and started his way towards where he thought the device might be found.

The others got their gear and followed the Colonel. The team's two scientists were in a deep conversation and didn't notice the other two's concerned gazes, which followed O'Neill's retreating back.

TBC  



	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks for **Babsca**, my BETA for all her help._

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**Ancients' trail**

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Chapter 4 

O'Neill's gaze passed over the narrow beach line. _'It should be here'_ he thought as he frantically searched his memories. Suddenly, he felt dizzy, his eyes didn't want to focus. Jack shook his head hard to clear it, but his relief didn't last long as the dizziness washed over him again. _'Damn'_ he thought, almost loosing his footing as he climbed the onshore hillside. Then he saw it, the old tree which bowed deep toward the lake's surface. Jack remembered vividly from when it was covered with white snow, such long time ago. He remembered the desperation, the hopelessness and the bone chilling cold wind, when he climbed off of the lake's ice covered surface.

Sweat began to roll down on his neck and back, and when the soft wind caressed his overheated skin despite the air's mild temperature his frame shuddered. His gaze swept around to spot something else familiar, to find a clue where he should go to find THAT cave.

He didn't notice as he turned away from the old tree toward the hill side, that two pairs of brown eyes watched his every move; nor as the eyes owners exchanged a look, which communicate their questions and their concern. Neither did Jack take notice as Teal'c stepped protectively closer to him almost to reaching a distance to catch him if he fell. He was almost oblivious to the world around him.

Jack's body protested with every movement he took and the tingly sensation, which he associated with his wounded side, became more and more unbearable. He felt hotter, a thin layer of sweat now covered his body and his hair was almost soaked. His lips and throat felt dry, his eyes itched and just to keeping them open was becoming hard. Jack knew he needed to rest, but they were so close. After almost thirty years he was here almost a stone's throw away and he could not just sit down and rest. He was afraid that if he did that, he would lose the trail and never find it again.

Jack was so preoccupied, that he almost didn't notice that faint presence at the edge of his consciousness. Having felt it once or twice before, it was almost like when he could feel that something bad was about to happen, but not quite the same. It was more like a buzzing, but without the actual sound, he could not really describe it. It was like something calling him, something almost alive, it was more a feeling, a vibe, a hunch than anything else. O'Neill could have turned away, could have walked in the other direction, but something deep inside him knew it won't hurt him, it was a good thing. It was the same way he knew he could trust Teal'c, or Bra'tac. And for the first time in his life he realized where he had felt this calling before. Here at this very place he had followed the call which lead him to the cave and he had felt the very same thing only hundred times stronger when the Ancients' device had caught his head. Jack's breath caught in his throat. The memory always caused shudders to run down his back. He had almost lost himself, and it scared him more than death. Still, he stepped forward, toward the _calling_, toward the cave without even noticing he moved, and he knew without doubt there would be another Ancients' device.

They didn't need to hike long after that to find the small valley, it looked the same as Jack remembered. He gracefully slipped down the hillside, his eyes never left the crack on the other side of the valley. He tore away his eyes only when he heard a muffled puff behind him. He couldn't help himself but smile at Daniel sprawled form, a mop of grass was on the younger man's head and in his mouth. Jack's brown eyes met with Carter's blue and they shared a smile. Their smile, like old time, before Sam remembered that she wa still angry with him, her smile vanished and she looked away.

The just arriving Teal'c helped the grumping Daniel up to his feet while Jacob slid down as well and positioned himself close to Jack. This time Jack noticed the older man's closeness but didn't say anything. Daniel tried to dust off his clothes, although he only managed to smear the dirt in more. He suddenly looked up, like he just noticed they stopped.

"Jack why have we stopped?" Daniel asked.

"Besides admiring your acrobatic diving, we're here." Daniel's eyes narrowed at the Colonel's first sentence, before his blue eyes lit up like a child's in the candy store. He threw down his back pack and started to pull out his note and pen without waiting for anyone. Then the archeologist looked around, blinked once and asked, "Where?"

Jack put down his own backpack and started to walk toward a small fissure on the opposite side of the tiny valley, it looked smaller them he remembered. Of course he himself was taller and bigger. He moved closer, he needed to kneel down to examine the side of the cave's entrance. His fingers ran down the almost smooth surface. Yes, now he was sure, it was the same cave. The stone felt almost warm and inviting, he could feel the light buzzing in the back of his mind. Like on the planet XP1-whatever where the Ancient's download device was. Oh yes, it was like that and it almost felt like it caressed him, welcomed him.

" Tha…t?" A voice pulled him back from his musing.

"Huh."

"That's it?" asked Daniel excitedly.

"Yes." His voice sounded, even to him, a bit strange. O'Neill cleared his throat. "I'll go in first," he said as he laid down on his stomach to be able to fit in the narrow mouth of the cave. As he crawled inside, one of the rocks caught his wounded side, the pain flared up and he bit his lip to not to moan out loud. As he slipped deeper his right leg suddenly came to the end of the rock and only air was under him. He carefully let down his leg at the side to try to find a solid point to brace himself. When he found it he lowered his other leg as well. "Daniel!" he called out.

"Yes?"

"Pass me a flashlight." After a few minute the flashlight was in his hand he half turned around to see the room better in the light. The bottom was about a foot or two away. As he dropped down, his wound opened up and he could feel to fresh blood slipping out of it. He swore in pain but luckily nobody heard it, they were to engrossed by the flashing symbols which had come alive the moment his feet had touched the ground. He stepped aside to let the others enter as well as he looked back he mused about the entrance height. He didn't remember the cave being that deep. The more so he have almost clear memory it reached up only his chest, he was able to climb out easily. Strange.

Considering how they always seemed to manage to find things at the last moment when they just about to fall apart, or were just found by a Goa'uld. Jack wouldn't be that terribly surprised if this place suddenly sank deeper while they were trying to find out it secrets. It would not be outside the norm for SG-1.

Daniel dropped down beside him nearly repeating his early performance on the valley wall, but the younger man hardly noticed. He was in full scientist mode. As he zoomed in on of the symbols on the wall. "This is brilliant it is one of the oldest Ancients' dialects I've ever seen. You can see it in the inflections, oh and look at this! I never see that symbol or that… I need to see the others." And with that he was off, mumbling to himself something of great importance. Yada-yada-da, O'Neill thought fondly, and sighed. Danny was just like that give him a rock and he could play with it all day.

Major Carter's blond head appeared next to him, and she was in her scientist mode as well. She moved her equipment toward the far wall to begin investigating the energy reading's of the place. And dropped down to the floor to open a secret panel, her face was like a kids at Christmas.

Jacob was the next to climb down, his eyes flashed when he looked around and Selmac took over his host's body. Jack found it a bit disconcerting when Selmac took more time to look him up and down than to look around in the room.

Jack knew he was in deep shit, Jacob and Selmac knew, well if not knew, they'd guessed something. And he didn't like the meaningful look the Tok'ra exchanged with Teal'c either. _'Uh oh' _he thought _'It's time for plan A. I'll just act like nothing's happened. Good plan. Great. Simple and brilliant.' _With that he put his hand in his pocket and leaned against the wall and waited, and waited. The only problem with his great plan was that he hadn't as much patience as the other two. In fact, if he want to be totally honest he hadn't any patience at all. After five minutes doing nothing he'd had enough. _'It's time for plane B.'_

"T, we should set up camp while the kids play." He said nonchalantly. He thought he'd managed to pull it off, but his quick smile vanished as soon as it became apparent from Jacob's grim expression that he hadn't succeeded in fooling him. _Damn_.

"Indeed, O'Neill." Teal'c replied from outside the cave. Jack managed to climb out without drawing any more attention to himself. He could barely control a sharp gasp when his weight landed fully on his injured side, and it didn't help that Teal'c _accidentally_ stood about a foot away from the entrance looking straight at him. Damn both insufferable old men, or three if you counted Selmac. Until he was safely on his feet Jack didn't dare say anything. He was not really sure if his voice would not waver if he tried.

"T, you put up the tents and I'll go get some wood for the fire." He saw Teal's raise an eyebrow but said nothing as he turned away from Jack. Teal'c always looked at him that way when he knew Jack had done something wrong or was not telling him something, but he was willing to wait for Jack to come clean in his own time. Of course Teal'c would only wait so long before he'd come and ask directly what going on. So before the big guy could corner him, Jack turned toward the closest tree line and he was just about to disappear in the woods, when the sound of Carter's voice stopped him.

"Damn it to hell!" Now it was not everyday Carter swore, only if something truly bad happened, something like the world was ending or she was trying to fix Jack's computer.

O'Neill turned back toward the cave's opening where his two scientists and Jacob now stood.. Daniel spotted him, and thought he'd be the best one to tell Jack the bad news.

"Jack the damn thing just broke down and the lights just went out. I did not even see enough to translate it." whined Daniel. Really the boy sometimes sound like a spoiled kid. Jack give a last wistful look at woods behind him, and the hope he could clandestinely put a new dressing on his wound in the near future and made his way back to his team and Jacob. Not forget Jacob. Who was clearly watching him with a speculative expression. Now where had Jack seen that look before. _Oh, it was the same look Carter got when she puzzling out something tricky. Oh he is so doomed. He'd only wanted a calm peaceful vacation, not so much to ask for, for crying out loud._ He managed not to roll his eyes.

"Maybe sir, we could attach one of our naquada reactors, it could power the place for a time. I just need to find the energy crystals which channel the bioelectric charges, to ease the power surges." She was in deep thought and only said it out loud Jack knew but he never understand why she even bother to do it.

"It won't be necessary Sammy." Added Jacob. _Why does that sound so wrong for me,_ Jack mused. "Selmac and I think it maybe reacted to the same thing as the Ancients' device on that planet."

"But dad, Teal'c was not near the cave so it should work for as… or you mean it reacted at you."

"No I don't think so, it more likely reacted to Jack's presence."

"Yes why didn't we see that before." exclaimed Daniel. "Sam don't you see." To Jack it looked like she didn't. "Remember when Jack stepped through the circle the device apparently activated and when he touched it, it reacted to him." Sam eyes grew large as the realization hit her.

"Holly Hannah, we need to test it out." Her big blue eyes zoomed at him, Jack knew now how the lab rat felt when saw a mad scientist.

"How?" he dared to ask.

"It's easy you just need to climb back down." Carter responded.

Jack groaned. Oh yeah, like that was at the top of his things to do list. Not! But he couldn't admit it, and there was no backing out of it without reveling why he didn't want to do it. So like a good soldier, he would pull himself together and make it back down to the cave, room or whatever. As his weight pressed down his wounded side again, he knew one thing: if he needed to do it again he'd pass out. As his foot reached the floor the room immediately lit up.

"Wow. Do it again." demanded Daniel. Jack could not help but glare the man, who saw the look on his face and stayed quiet.

"Well, you three stay down here while Teal'c and I finish the camp." added Jacob.

After ten minutes Jack felt a bit useless, while Daniel studied the writings and Sam the crystal thing, he just sat near the wall and did nothing. He pulled up his knee and put his head on it. He decided to close his eyes only for a minute just to rest them, but he soon fell fast asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thanks for **Babsca**, my BETA for all her help. Without her help this chapter wouldn't be so enjoyable._

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**Chapter 5**

Dreams.

Someone once said the dreams could show us our deepest wishes and fears. They can guide us to our past or to our possible future.

But to Jack dreams were never more than a waste of time, time he could have spent more usefully. Only his body craved sleep, not his mind.

Even when he was a small boy he could never went to sleep easily, he'd rather be playing outside instead. But as soon as he had fallen asleep, dreams visited him every night and they became an extra adventure with time. His dreams varied, sometimes he replayed his favourite TV show or book in his mind, only this time he was the hero of the stories, he was the pirate who sailed on the see, the cowboy who lived on the prairie or the sheriff who hunted the bad guys. As he grew older, his own memories slowly began to take over his dreams, replacing the earlier, innocent fantasies.

With the passing years, due to his training and service as a solder, his memories and with them his dreams became darker, more shadowed. Only a rare glimpse here and there remained of his childhood fantasies, and O'Neill only went to sleep when his body protested from the lack.

He would not say he exactly feared his dreams, rather he simply did not want to see Kawalsky's painfilled death, Daniel dying in his arms yet again, Share's and Skara's flashing eyes, Charlie's pale face and glassy eyes as he called out for his dad for the last time. Both friends and enemies dead or dying had become persistent images in his dreams, and with waking there always came the pain. Pain so intense, nearly as fresh as when it was first experienced, it haunted him in his first waking moments. No, Jack did not fear his dreams, they were a part of him, part of the experiences that shaped him into the man who he was now. But it did not mean he liked to see them over again every night. So he'd learned how to repress them. Nowadays he rarely dreamed, at least not so he remembered.

But this time, this time the dream was strange. As soon as he'd fallen asleep in the cave, he'd started to dream. He dreamed, but not about his past. This dream made him feel warm, comforted, soothed, like something or someone was protecting him, caring for him. The buzzing sound in the back of his mind became louder as it lulled him deeper into sleep. Images flashed of places where he'd never walked, and people who he'd never seen, and despite their strange, unfamiliar nature they felt close to him, maybe even closer then his friends. As if Jack had always known them, like he was one of them. A word came to him that suddenly made sense of the calling he'd sensed, that strange tingle he'd felt when he first touched the Ancient's device: Belonging. But what he could see so clearly in his dream became shadowed and hazy as he started to wake.

Jack noticed as he slowly woke up that he felt rested, warm and strangely numb. His dark eyes fluttered open for a brief moment before they closed again of their own accord. It seemed to simply take too much energy to open them again, so he decided the next best thing to do was simply lay still and listen

.As he listened to his surroundings, Jack could hear a low muttering, and the scratching of a pen on the paper, not far for him to his right. He concentrated more on what was being said, and although the language sounded familiar, the meaning of the words evaded him. But the voice, he knew that voice; it was Daniel.

A faint clatter to his left caught his attention ,and he remembered seeing Carter over that way before he had fallen asleep. Jack suspected she was still deeply engrossed with one of the crystal generator's heating module thingies.

He listened carefully to try and catch any other sound, but he didn't hear anyone else in close proximity. As he opened his eyes once again, every nerve in his body screamed at him to stay still, but he wouldn't be Jack O'Neill, hard-ass Air Force colonel if he'd yielded to that, would he? If opening his eye had been hard work, it took even more energy for Jack to keep them open.

O'Neill now felt hot and sweaty, his throat was dry, and he suspected an infection had set in. He knew he needed to take care of his wound soon, but not right away. No surely that could wait, at least until his world had stopped spinning. Any further move would have to wait for his dizziness to pass. He tiredly let his head fall back to the cool smooth wall behind him. It felt so good against his feverish skin.

Jack had two other reasons why he opted against moving. One, it would be embarrassing if he threw up or fell on his face in front of the others, while he attempted to stand up. Two was that his wound would be obvious now when he moved, as any small movement caused pain-waves to wash over him, leaving him even more dizzy and nauseated.

While he struggled to control his wounded body, Jack's vision slowly started to clear and he focused on the wall on the other side of the room. He noticed that the symbols vibrated in harmony with the humming in his head. He concentrated more closely onto the symbols, they briefly flickered before his blurry eyes and he could swear he heard whispers.

_Indicium (date_

_Recondo (store_

_Locus (location_

_Navis (ship_

_Occido (fall down_

Each word was strange and yet familiar at the same time. he almost felt their meaning, although he could not put words to them. Still, the answers while so close, were just beyond his reach.

"Jack, would you move?!" Daniel's question was not really a question, more an angry order. Jack turned his eyes away from the symbols towards the sudden harsh voice from next to him, before looking back to the symbols, which once again appeared simply to be strange, alien forms. Jack sighed sorrowfully, not sure which caused him more sorrow: the need to move which would cause further pain, the loss of the connection to strange symbols and their meaning, or Daniel's harsh attitude toward him.

"Sure, Daniel, since you asked ,me so nicely." Jack muttered sarcastically. He tried to ignore the searing pain in his side as he climbed at his feet, and was about to say something _nice_ to Daniel again when Jacob climbed down into the cave, a determined look on his face. Jack knew that look, he'd seen its like more times than he wanted to recall. It was a _'the game's over, and now it's time to talk'_ look. His father had the same look every time he demanded answers for one of Jack's reckless stunts and later, his COs' faces usually had gotten the same look for the very same reason.

"Jack, you're with me , we need to talk." The stern words just confirmed the look's meaning.

"But Jacob, what about the light…" Jack was not one to give up easily, not just yet.

"Now!!" _How could a man say no to that?!_

Jack opened his mouth to say something more, but he was too weary to fight and try to win this argument anyway. So he just mumbled, "Sure" before he began walking up to the cave's entrance.

"Sam, Daniel we will be outside." Jacob informed the two researchers.

Sam turned to her father with a smile,"Sure Dad, I think I've found the circuits to keep the lights on for a time without the Colonel's presence ."

"Good."

Jack could not decide that if the wall had gotten higher or he was in that bad a shape, but it was now much harder to climb outside than before. Teal'c stood not far form the cave's entrance, and Jacob was following closely behind him and Jack started to feel like he was being guarded like some convicted criminal. Both older men were clearly watching his every move. He started to ask "what now?", but Jacob grabbed his hand and guided him toward one of the three stumps not far from the tents. Jack resigned himself to his fate and let himself be guided there with a heavy sight he sat on the trunk. He suddenly felt like a small boy who was just sent to the School Principal for fighting, as he looked up the two other men.

"O'Neill, we know you are injured, there is no reason to hide it from us." Well, Jack thought, T did not talk much but always to the point.

"Ah T." Jack tried one last time to cover. " It's nothing. Just a little scratch."

"I do not believe you O'Neill." The big guy was adamant.

"We've known you long enough to know that what you call scratch is most likely a serious , if not life treating wound." Added Jacob while he glared at Jack. Jack tried the blank mask with confused expression, but it didn't fooled his companion.

"Alright. Yes it is a small wound, maybe even bleeding a bit after you ordered me to climb out from there. But that's all, there's really nothing to see." An excellent diversion tactic Jack thought. Turning their concern into guilt for making him climb out so they would leave him alone. It was beautifully delivered, and most likely with anyone else it would even have worked, but not with an ex-two star General, a few hundred year old Tok'ra, and the warrior Teal'c. Looking up at their unrelenting faces, Jack knew he was busted. He rolled his eyes at them and shifted uneasy in his seat.

"O'Neill show us the wound." Selmac demanded stepping closer to help him to undress if Jack would not start soon.

"Oh for crying out loud." Jack huffed, knowing he sounded like he was whining , and he was. He reluctantly rolled up his pullover, his dark T-shirt was now pasted to his side by dried blood, and he slowly pried that off as well. This revealed the blood soaked bandage, and he could see a tiny part of his wound poking out from underneath the gaze. The wound now looked red, swollen and inflected. It was not a good thing. Jack grimaced; if the Doc ever got wind of this he was a dead man. The Tok'ra's deep voice brought him back to his present situation, as he looked up and saw the two older men's faces, he knew that Janet would be the least of his problems for now.

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Jacob watched as Jack slowly pulled up his black T-shirt, and saw the first time the bloodied bandage, he was tempted to shake some sense into Jack, but the younger man pale complexion and shaking hands stopped him from doing anything too harsh. Selmac, however, had no problem lecturing Jack, on his stupidity in letting the wound become so infected.

"Selmac, it's nothing." Jack tried to intercept Selmac when the Tok'ra reached out to loosen his bandage, only to be his hand batted away.

"Hush, child." said Selmac on her no nonsense voice.

"I am not a child." Came Jack's petulant reply. He even pouted when Selmac didn't bother to look up at him.

The wound was not life threatening both Selmac and Jacob observed. Jacob saw signs of early healing, and the infection was just beginning to set in. He was momentarily startled when a first aid kit was placed in his hand; he hadn't noticed when the dark Jaffa left to fetch it. Jacob was now back in full control, being better at healing than Selmac, who was master of lot of things but first aid wasn't one of them. As Jacob pulled out the alcohol and fresh gauze, his gaze moved to Jack's face, warning,"This will hurt."

Jack did not reply just took a deep breath before nodding to Jacob that he should go ahead. Jacob concentrated on the wound, as he started to clean it, he heard a hiss of pain coming from Jack but didn't take his eyes away from the wound before finishing the job. When he was done, Jacob looked up to see how Jack was fairing. The younger man's features reflected pain. Jack's face shone with sweat and was paler than Jacob had ever seen it before. His eyes were closed, and Jack's breathing sounded shallow.

Jacob gaze flickered to his right where Teal'c stood stoically beside him , a new set of bandages in his hands, but his deep brown eyes betrayed his concern for his friend. The Jaffa noticed his studying gaze and turned toward him.

"I think Jacob Carter it would be the best to finish up quickly."

"Yes Teal'c. I think too" Jacob replied as he reached for the bandages and redressed the wound. When he'd finished, he patted Jack's shoulder to get his attention. Pain filled brown eyes slowly opened.

Teal'c brought over some pain pills and a flask of water to O'Neill, who accepted them quietly. The fact that he'd taken the pills without further argument in and of itself showed how bad he must be feeling.

"I will assist O'Neill to his tent." Teal'c announced, as he helped to steady Jack's lanky frame when he attempted to stand up. Jacob nodded his agreement. The sky had already started to darken, in no time it would be pitch black.

"Sounds good, Teal'c." Jacob replied. "I'll just go and get Sam and Daniel to come up, before it gets too dark."

Selmac could have sworn he'd heard O'Neill muttering "Good luck", as he and Jacob headed to call up the two youngest member of their group. He could not fathom why would they need luck. Well, at least not yet.

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Thank you for everyone who read and or review this story. I like to wish you all Marry Chritmas and Happy New Year.**_


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